Tropical Storm Thomas (2010)
Thomas was the nineteenth named storm of the 2010 Biolixi Ocean hurricane season. Thomas' duration was between October 13 and October 18. Thomas had a peak intensity with 50 mph winds and minimum pressure of 993 mbar. Thomas was a small system that formed just to the west of the Southern Biolixi Island from a cold front. The wave continued to move to the east and became Tropical Depression Twenty-One on October 13. Twenty-One began to then strengthen and became Tropical Storm Thomas during the evening hours of the same day. Even though being off shore, Thomas caused several problems with heavy rain on the west-northwest coast of the Southern Biolixi Island on October 14. During the same day, Thomas made landfall causing several problems with flooding rain and landslides throughout the northern half of the island. Thomas then moved temporarily back over water and then made a second landfall at peak intensity on the Northern Biolixi Island. Thomas caused dangerous flooding throughout the Northern Biolixi Island due to the already saturated ground in that area. On October 17, Thomas moved back out over water where it rapidly weakened after meeting cooler waters. Thomas dissipated the next day. Thomas caused 280 million simoleons in damage and caused 4 deaths. Meteorological History On October 11, a tropical wave developed from a cold front that came off the coast of Southwest. The tropical wave moved to the southeast and met warm waters near the coast of the Southern Biolixi Island and became Tropical Depression Twenty-One. Twenty-One quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Thomas on October 13 just 40 miles off the coast of the Southern Biolixi Island. Thomas then moved inland with 45 mph winds; due to Thomas' shear size for a tropical storm, extreme flooding was widespread throughout the island as Thomas moved inland and then began to move slowly to the northeast. Thomas continued to move to the northeast after a non-tropical low developed to the west of it, steering Thomas to the north. Thomas then emerged back into warm water in between the coasts of the Southern Biolixi Island and Northern Biolixi Island. Thomas rapidly strengthened and was feared to become a hurricane when it reached its peak intensity of 60 mph on October 16. Thomas then made landfall on the Northern Biolixi Island with stronger winds but less wind due to slight wind shear. Thomas then moved quickly to the northwest and moved back out into water but still remained weak. Thomas weakened into a tropical depression and then dissipated on October 18. Thomas caused an estimated 270 million simoleons in damage, and caused around 4 deaths. Impact Southern Biolixi Island Due to Thomas being weak during its impact to the Southern Biolixi Island, its impact was a lot less than that to the Northern Biolixi Island. Due Thomas' small size during its early lifetime, Thomas only caused impact to a small area of the Southern Biolixi Island. Around 8 inches or more of rain was reported throughout the entire northwest half of the island as Thomas roared by. Around 75 million simoleons in damage were caused by Thomas on the island. Northern Biolixi Island Due to Thomas taking in a moisture flow from its southeast, Thomas grew in size as it met water again in between the Southern and Northern Biolixi Island. Even over water, impact was felt on the southern half of the Northern Biolixi Island and the northern half of the Southern Biolixi Island. Due to some slight wind shear, Thomas' impact was flared out to its north, causing more disruptive rain to the island. Around 10 inches or more of rain was reported on the Northern Biolixi Island. On October 17, Thomas left the Biolixi Islands were it dissipated the day after. Thomas altogether caused 270 million simoleons in damage and caused 4 deaths from flooding rain. See also *2010 Biolixi Ocean hurricane season Category:Storms Category:Tropical Storm